The room left in the dark
by Darkest tears
Summary: A short story about a man dealing with the horrors he has committed


I woke, gently breathing. I was laying somewhere in the study of my house, the fireplace was going providing what little light that it did. What had woke me? I looked around slowly. The books were still neatly placed onto the shelves in perfect alphabetical order. The rug still neat on the floor and the chairs sitting quietly as though trying to hold back a laugh from a joke that was being played on me. But then it came again. Three loud thumps on the door. But how?! How did they get up here?! I'm at the highest point in the whole house. The maids or even my butler should have let me know when someone had come up here. But wait what if it is one of them? Relieved I slowly approached the door. Wait that's not possible! I forgot they all left for the night! Then who?! Who could possibly be knocking on the door?!

Three more knocks came to the door. Each one more loud and intimidating than the other. In fear I backed away almost bumping into one of the chairs. "Please just let it be my imagination, I know I may have done horrible things in the past but I can change! I can fix the type of person I am!" Three more knocks came to door with the sound and force of a hammer hitting wood. I grabbed one of the fire pokers, and hid behind the chair. "Please I beg you I know who you are! You're the devil come to take my soul! You're the angel showing me the staircase down to the depths! You're death coming for my end! Please I beg you don't take me!" I could feel tears beginning to stream down my face. Crouching down lower I closed my eyes and sobbed silently. Three more came each with more force, making the door struggle to hold itself in place.

"I want to take it all back!" I yelled in agony. Knowing that no matter what I said it would come for me, no matter how hard I begged or what I said it would come to teach me a lesson for I had done evil beyond what any human could do. I have committed an act of sin worse than anyone in history. The past flashed through my head, the wrong I had done and the things i shouldn't have tried to do. Three more powerful knocks came to the door as if trying to call me forth to my end. I dropped to my knees, shaking in my night gowned and I begged. I begged for all I was worth and that still wasn't enough, no matter what it wanted my end just as much as I wanted to stay alive. Three more knocks came sounding as if the next one would break down the door. Then I heard it, the voice. Oh God that voice, it made me weep in fear as I spoke.

"Come closer", it whispered. "Let me in", it whined. "No", I screamed. "Not now not ever, I will not!" I pushed both chairs against the door hoping to keep the thing outside. Not that this would help I knew but I still had to try and escape it somehow even though that meant locking myself in here forever. The voice cried, so sad it sounded and yet it sounded as if it felt bad for me. A loud whistle passed through the room and with it a wind that put out the fire. But how?! There are no windows. Turning around I noticed a large window above the bookshelves. What?! How long has that been there?! I moved over to the bookshelves and made a slow climb up to the window. But just as I closed it three more knocks came and scared me off the bookshelves and onto my side! A loud crunch came from my descent to the ground. Cursing I stood up and touched my side in agony. Why? Why couldn't I be left alone? "Go away!" I screamed.

Pulling books off the shelves I began throwing them at the door in anger. "Just go away! Leave Me alone!" Pain shot up my side with each throw but my fear caused me to keep going. I could feel tears stream down my face, and in a last act of defiance I sat down in the middle of the dark room. More knocking came to the door, but this time they became quiet with each knock. "Please" the voice begged again, "let me in". But I wouldn't listen, I wouldn't give in to it. I wouldn't let it take me. Standing up I ran to the door and banged in it. "Go away! Leave me alone! Why? Why won't you leave me alone" I yelled in anger.

I slumped slowly to the ground, and leaned against the door. I knew that I had been defeated. There was nothing I could do, the thing was here now and it wanted me more than anything. I couldn't reason with it and I couldn't hurt it so I might as well give in. Slowly I rose and grabbed the dark cold doorknob. With what was left of my willpower I turned it and opened the door. But not a thing stood out there in that dark hallway, the drapes moved gently and a voice that sounded darker than the first one spoke to my in a bone chilling whisper. "Come to me, let me free you from your burden. Allow me to help you end your worries. I started shuffling down the hallway in the dark. Knowing that I would soon be at peace with my death. As I walked down the hallway I found myself approaching stairs. The voice called to me again, so sweet and elegant it sounded this time. "Come, let me free you from your evils and troubles."

I couldn't resist, not this time. I had no fight in me and even if I did I'm sure the same thing would have happened again. It would all end in my giving myself up to the monster in my house. I started moving down the stairs, but halfway through I found myself lying at the bottom. Wait I thought, this isn't correct. I shouldn't give up. I gently pulled myself to my feet and continued down the new hallway. This isn't correct, this is not how I want my life to end. Slowly my feet dragged me to the door. There was nothing that I could do by simply thinking these things. I raised my foot and then slammed it down. "No!" I yelled. "I will not let you take me and that is final...I have…I have come to terms with the harm that I have done! I will correct what I did and find ways to make amends for it." Insidiously the house grew cold. For a moment I knew what true fear was. I had never felt true fear and had never known that I had never felt it until this moment. I felt like prey that was cornered by a predator. A shiver passed through me, and it felt like my blood and heart had stopped in my body at once. I couldn't move, I couldn't free myself and it felt like my life was over during that moment. Adrenaline shot through me like a bullet yet even that couldn't move me from my spot.

All my senses went off at once. I could taste something foul in my mouth, I heard the sound of footsteps coming closer to me, my eyes pierced the darkness and I could see a dark shape moving down the hallway to me. I have always considered myself even a little brave, standing up to the daily challenges of life. I ran, I ran as fast and as far as I could. I knew I wasn't even the least bit brave. I was a fool to make fun of the people in books and movies who ran in terror for now I feel the same. I sprinted as fast as I could go but it was all in vain. As I reached the stairs I felt a cold grip pull me to the ground. Bone hands held me on the ground, no matter how or what I tried I knew this was the end. There was no getting out or away from this thing. I felt myself being pulled but realized I couldn't see anything for my eyes were closed. I could figure out where I was being dragged to anyway. I knew where the crime had taken place, where the devil had locked away my secrets for later torment.

I could hear sobbing as I was pulled around. Probably from the thing that was pulling me. It had finally gotten its satisfying revenge on the person who had wronged it. After a brief minute I found myself out in the night, opening my eyes I found the moon illuminating the darkness. Looking around I found myself out in the garden. But none had cared for it, after what I had done I told all the staff to stay away from this area. So the flowers had become rotten and the fruits and vegetables had turned black and soft like pudding. Sitting in the middle of the gross dying mess was the well. The well had slowly broken down over time, losing a few bricks and gaining a few black vines trying to cling to hope. Several large rocks had been placed on top as if to try and keep something from rising out of there. As I looked around I heard a different voice but one I was most familiar with that I was hoping to never hear again. "I'm down here." It giggled almost angrily. "Please" I said almost too quiet to hear. "I just want to be live in peace why is that to much to ask for?" The rocks began to shake and fall off. I knew she was coming out of the well.

This was truly the end and I was ready. After the rocks fell the vines and the garden lit a blaze and began to burn away. Not a word escaped my lips, not even a sound. I just stood there accepting what was going to happen and I waited patiently. The lid of the well came next, a small wooden top broke of the well. Not a sound came, not one but soon I knew it would.


End file.
